Former partner Monica Ward told Manchester magistrates that he was "looking insane" as he squeezed her neck and she feared for her life.

She said he then threatened to kill her after she alerted police.

Bez - real name Mark Berry who found fame for his freaky dancing in the popular band of the 80s and 90s - claimed he acted in self defence and later labelled the hearing as a "kangaroo court".

The argument broke out at their flat in Whalley Range, Manchester, following a dispute over the whereabouts of takings from a concert the night before.

The pair, who were in a band called Domino Bones at the time, were paid £300 but some of the cash was missing the next day on May 24.

Bez, a past winner of Celebrity Big Brother, confronted Miss Ward, the band's lead singer, when he could not find the money.

Giving evidence, the former model said: "He accused me of stealing money which I did not. I told him he had put down the money somewhere and forgotten where he had put it, he has a history of mislaying things."

Magistrates convicted Bez of the assault and using unlawful to gain entry into a property.